Printing telegraph apparatus



Feb. 17, 1942. R ZENNER 2,273,081

PRINTING TELEGRAPH APPARATUS.

Filed July 15, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. RAYMOND E. ZENNER Patented F eh. I 7, 1942 UNETED STATES ATENT OFFICE PRINTING TELEGRAPH APPARATUS tion of Delaware Application July 13, 1940, Serial No. 345,257

6 Claims. The present invention relates to printing telegraph apparatus and more particularly to automatic paper feeding mechanisms therefor.

The principal object of the present'invention is to provide in a printing telegraph receiver having a line feeding mechanism responsive to code combinations of signal impulses a means for effecting automatically through the instrumentality of said line feed mechanism a variable additional number of consecutive line feed operations under the control of the record strip.

A feature of the invention resides in employing a standard line feed mechanism of a page printer, not only for normal line feed operation, but also for multiple line feed or vertical tabulation.

Another feature resides in controlling a vertical tabulator for a page printer through the instrumentality of the clutch throwout lever of the main shaft clutch.

When using record material comprising a series of blank forms of the same standard length and having preprinted headings, it is desirable to provide in page printers, mechanism for exercising control over the proper feeding of the forms into printing position. The messages on each form, of course, may contain different numbers of recorded lines, and accordingly, before the first line of the next message may be printed, an additional feed must be imparted to the preceding message in order to bring the next form into proper printing position. This additional feed must be of such a length for each message, that forms of standard length will be obtained for said various length messages. Moreover, the additional feed is a complementary additional one since it completes the fixed number of line feeds per preprinted form. Specifically, the present invention is disclosed as embodied in a telegraph printer of the type shown in U. S. Patent 1,904,164, and for achieving the object of the invention, a special signal, which will be identified herein as the vertical tabulator signal, controls the selection of a special function lever which, when operated in response thereto, actuates a multi-armed lever, which, in turn, sets up six conditions; namely, first, a contact in the operating circuit for the start magnet of the transmitting distributor is opened to suspend transmission during -vertical tabulation; second, the multi-armed lever is latched in its actuated position which condition is maintained durng vertical tabulation; third, the line feed push bar is held in the path of the function bail; fourth, the main shaft clutch throwout lever is the main' shaft cam assembly during vertical tabulation; fifth, a universal function lever is held operated during the period of vertical tabulation to prevent printing and spacing; and sixth, '5;- the "letters or unshift push bar is also held in the path of the function bail. While these six conditions are maintained, a succession of line feed operations is performed, and upon each line 7 feed operation, a feeler lever is operated to sense the record material to find the control perforation therein. When the control perforation is found, the feeler drops therein, thus causing, through suitable linkage, the unlatching of the multi-armed leverwhich, in turn, permits the contact in the operating circuit of the transmitting distributor start'magnet to close, to again start transmission, remove the line feed and unshift push bars from the path of the function bail, restore the clutch throwout lever to its stop position, and restore universal function lever which, during vertical tabulation, blocked printing and spacing.

The foregoing and other objects of the invention will be apparent from the following description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference characters designate similar parts throughout the several views, and in which Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a mechanism according to the present invention, with a schematic diagram of a transmitter control circuit, only so much of the printing telegraph apparatus being shown as is necessary to an understanding of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary perspective view of the main cam shaft showing the operative relationship between the clutch throwout lever and the vertical tabulator control mechanism;

Fig. 3 is a plan View of the record material 40 used in carrying out the present invention;

Fig. 3A is an enlarged fragmental view of the record material showing the control hole;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary view showing the relation between the selector mechanism and the automatic paper feeding mechanism according to the present invention;

Fig. 5 is a transverse cross-sectional view of the platen showing the paper sensing mechanism; Fig. 6 is a perspective View of one modified 50 form of paper sensing means; and

Fig. 7 is a schematic view of another modified form of the present invention.

some of the novel features shown but not claimed herein are shown" and claimed in the held released to permit continuous rotation of ISIS copending applications of A.H'. Reiber, Serial No.

345,259, and of C. W. Burcky, Serial No. 345,258, both filed July 13, 1940.

Having reference particularly to Figs. 1 and 2, the mechanism according to the present invention is shown as embodied in a telegraph printing machine of the type disclosed in U. S. Patent No. 1,904,164, to which reference may be had for a detailed description of the printer elements. The selector mechanism is of the single magnet type and comprises a selector magnet N (Fig. 4) which is responsive to code combinations of signaling impulses. The magnet H has an armature |2 to which is fixed a lever I3. Lever |3 at its end adjacent to armature I2, is supported upon the pivot stud M. A spring |5 has one of its ends secured to armature I2 and its other end secured to an adjusting screw |6. Normally the magnet I is energized and holds the armature l2 attracted against the pull of spring l5. The free end of lever I3 is provided with a pair of laterally extending arms or abutments l1 and Hi, which cooperate with laterally projecting arms l9 and 2| on the rear ends of selector fingers or swords 22 to position the latter in their clockwise or counterclockwise position, as will presently appear.

Power for operating the selecting mechanism is supplied by a motor (not shown) to main shaft 23, Fig. 1, of the printer. Mounted near one end of shaft 23 is a selector cam barrel 24, which is frictionally connected to shaft 23 by means of suitable friction clutch members 20 (Fig. 2). The cam barrel 24 is provided with a helically arranged series of cams 25, one for each element of the permutation code. The series of cams 25 cooperate with a corresponding series of bell crank levers 26, pivoted on a common shaft 21 and normally biased clockwise, Fig. 2, by individual springs 28. Intermediate the arms l9 and 2| of swords 22 is a circular portion 29 adapted to fit into corresponding sockets in bell crank levers 26. By the action of cams 25 on bell crank levers 26, swords 22 are caused to thrust successively longitudinally of their lengths as the cam barrel 24 is rotated. In addition to this reciprocative movement, swords 22 have an oscillatory movement about circular portion 29 depending upon the cooperative relationship between abutting elements I! and I9, and I8 and 2|. A friction holding means (not shown) is provided to hold the swords 22 in the position to which they have been set. The springs 28 associated with bell crank levers 26 normally hold the swords 22 in their forward (rightward as viewed in Fig. 4) position and in engagement with a corresponding series of T-levers 3| pivoted at 32. Levers 3| are articulated to selector vanes 33 and rock said vanes to their clockwise or counterclockwise positions depending upon whether the swords strike them above or below the pivot shaft 32.

Selector lever I3 is also provided with an arm 34 terminating in an eccentrically headed adjustment screw 35, the function of which is to initiate, through a series of levers, the rotation of the selector cam barrel 24 in the following manner. Having reference to Fig. 4, it is observed that the head of screw 35 strikes against a plunger 36 slidably carried in a support 31 to actuate a trip member in the form of a small bell crank lever 38 pivotally mounted on shaft 39 so that its opposite arm may engage one arm of a latch 4| pivoted at 42 in a support 43 (Fig. l). The extremity of the vertical arm of the bell crank 38' engages the latch 4| at a point coincident with the axial center of shaft 23 and of a pivot stud 44 which is employed for orientation purposes, as fully set forth in said aforementioned patent. Latch 4| cooperates with arm 45 of a U-shaped stop gate 46 rotatably mounted on a pivot 41. Latch 4| is normally held in cooperative engagement with arm 45 of the stop gate 46 by a compression spring 48 (Fig. 1). Arm 49 of a stop gate 46 is adapted to be engaged by an arm 5| of stop disc 52 fixedly related to the cam barrel 24. Cam barrel 24 and. stop disc 52 constantly tend to rotate (clockwise as viewed in Fig. 4) due to the frictional connection with constantly rotating shaft 23. Thus, stop disc 52, through its arm 5|, tends to rotate stop gate 46 in a counterclockwise direction against the action of spring 53, but this movement is resisted by a shoulder 54 on latch 4|. However, upon the receipt of a start or spacing signal impulse which is equivalent to ,an open line condition, the magnet is dehergized and the selector arm or lever I3 is rotated clockwise, Fig. 2, under the action of spring l5. This causes the head of screw 35 to be actuated downwardly (as viewed in Fig. 4) to push plunger 36 correspondingly, thus imparting clockwise, Fig. 1, movement to bell crank 38, which causes latch 4| to rotate in a counterclockwise direction against the action of compression spring 48 sufficiently to withdraw shoulder 54 from cooperative engagement with arm 45. Stop gate 46 is free to respond to the greater pressure imposed upon it by stop arm 5| which overcomes spring 53. Stop gate 46 is thus rotated by arm 5| until arm 49 has become disengaged from arm 5|, whereupon arm 5| and hence cam drum 24 continue to rotate during the ensuing cyclic period, and stop gate 46 is returned to its clockwise position (as viewed in Fig, 4) by spring 53. However, there is a slight overtravel of the stop gate 46 in its return movement, so that arm 45 will be moved clockwise sufficiently to permit the engagement of shoulders 54 and arm 45.

Upon receipt of a code combination of signal impulses, the start impulse serves to release armature l2, whereupon screw head 35 presses plunger 36 to effect, through levers 38 and 4|, the removal of shoulder 54 from arm 45 so that arm 5| overcomes stop gate 46 counterclockwise and .the rotation of cam drum 24 is initiated. During the ensuing single revolution of cam drum 24, the cam portions 25 thereon act sequentially on levers 26 to draw swords 22 leftwardly (as viewed in Fig. 4) so that abutments l9 and 2| thrust against arm I! or I8, respectively, depending on whether lever I3 is in attracted or released position in response to the marking or spacing signal impulses, respectively, in the code signal. Swords 22 under the action of springs 28 act upon levers 3| to set the selector vanes 33 corresponding to the code signal received by the selector magnet Associated with selector vanes 33 are a plurality of function levers, one of which is the vertical tabulator function lever 55 and another of which is the universal function lever 6|]. The function levers are pivotally mounted on common shaft 56 and are provided with individual springs 51 which act upon selection to rotate the gfunction levers clockwise (as viewed in Fig. 4)

755 as fully described in the aforementioned patent.

Function lever 55 is provided with a leftwardly extending arm 6| carrying at its extremity an adjustable striker screw 62 which cooperates with one arm 63 of a plural armed lever 64 pivoted on shaft 69. Also cooperating with arm 63 is a leftwardly extending arm (similar to arm 6|) on the universal function lever 60. Lever 64 is provided with an arm 65 which extend underneath the unshift push bar 8 and the line feed push bar 69 (Fig. 1), and also a vertical arm 61 which terminates in a laterally disposed portion 50 adapted to engage with a latch member 68 pivoted on rod 1I. Also pivoted on rod H is a U-shaped lever member 12 provided with a depending arm 13 and a horizontal arm 14. At the extremity of arm 13 there is pivoted the line feed push rod 66 which is provided at its free end with a shoulder 15 adapted to cooperate with the function bail blade 16, as described in the aforementioned patent. Arm 14 of the lever 12 has pivotally secured thereto one end of a line feed link 11, the

other end of which is pivoted to the horizontal arm of a line feed bell crank lever 18, pivoted at 19. At the end of the vertical arm of the bell crank lever 18 is pivotally carried a line feed pawl 8I which cooperates with a line feed ratchet wheel 82 secured to a cylindrical platen 83.

Multi-armed lever 64 has also an arm 84 which serves to open the operating circuit of the start magnet of the transmitting distributor to suspend transmission during tabulation. Having reference to Fig. 1, the extremity of arm 84 of lever 64 overlies spring 85 of a normally closed contact 86, which is included in a circuit for energizing a stop magnet 60 of a transmitter distributor indicated generally by a dotted square 10, the transmitting contacts 80 of which are connected in a line wire 90-including selector magnet II. Where operating conditions are encountered such that the speeds of the motors are determined by governors, and the governed motors of the printers in the circuit run at slightly different speeds, a time delay relay 23I may be introduced in the circuit for magnet 60, the purpose of which is to delay the resumption of transmission until the slowest printer in the circuit has completed vertical tabulation. The circuit for the stop magnet extends from ground, through switch I80, relay 60, contact 86 and a contact 232 of relay 23I to battery. The circuit for relay 23I extends from battery, through relay 23I, then through contact 233 to ground. During normal operation of printing, the switch I80 and contact 86 are closed, and the magnet 60 is energized, thus holding stop pawl 234 out of the path of the transmitting distributor brush arm 235. During vertical tabulation, the contact 86 will be held open by arm 84, and the contact 233 will be held closed. The opening of contact 88 causes the stop magnet 60 to become deenergized immediately. The closing of contact 233 completes the energizing circuit for the slow release relay 23 I, thus opening contact 232. Now, after completion of vertical tabulation, the contact 233 will be opened and the contact 86 will again be closed. However, the energizing circuit for start magnet 60 will not be completed until after the slow release relay 23I has become deenergized, thus delaying the closure of contact 232 and the energization of magnet 60 to resume transmission until the slowest printer in the line has finished the vertical tabulation operation.

Lateral portion 50, in addition to cooperating with latch 58, also cooperates with arm 81 of clutch throwout lever 88 pivotally mounted on shaft 89, the other arm of which cooperates with a sixth cam 9| on the cam drum 24 as set forth in the aforementioned patent. Arm 81 is provided with a lateral portion which is presentable into the path of a cam portion 92 of a jaw clutch 93, under the influence of a spring 94. Driving member 95 of jaw clutch 93 is fixed to shaft 23 and rotates constantly therewith. The driven portion comprising cam portion 92 is held by arm 81 in its leftward position against the action of a coiled spring 95.

Latch member 68 has fixed thereto a stud 91 which fits into the lower forked end of a bar 98, the upper end of which is pivoted at 99 to the extremity of a lever IOI clamped to a pivot rod I02 carried by the printer frame. Fixed to link 11 is a member I03 having a laterally extending portion I04 positioned adjacent the lower side of lever I M so as to impart rocking motion to lever IOI in response to the reciprocating movement of link 11 during the line feeding operations. A lever I05 is fixed to shaft I02 at the end opposite to lever I 0| and is provided with arms I06, I01, and I08. To the extremity of arm I08 is attached one end of a spring I09, the other end of which is attached to a spring post III carried on the side frame I I2 of the platen carriage. Arm I08 of lever I05 carries at its extremity a stud II3 which acts upon an arm II4 of a multi-armed lever I I5 (as will presently appear) to rotate lever I I5 clockwise about its pivot II6. Arm I01 of lever I05 is provided at its extremity with a laterally directed portion which cooperates with an arm II1 of lever II5. Lever II 5 has also an arm II8 conformed at its extremity with a sensing portion or feeler I I9 (Figs. 1 and 5), the function of which is to sense or search for a control perforation in the record material or printed form. The feeler II9 is receivable in a groove I2I in the platen 83 to provide clearance for the movement of the feeler H9 when a control perforation is found.

A guide member I22 is associated with the feeler I I9 to facilitate the passage of the record material between said feeler and the platen 83. Guide I22 is provided with a notch or opening I23 to guide the feeler I I 9, and is integrally united with a lever arm I24 freely mounted on pivot II6. Lever I24 is normally biased counterclockwise by a spring I25 to press the guide I2 2 against the platen 83.

Lever II5 has also an arm I28 which terminates in a shoulder I21 which engages a latch arm I28 fixed to a rock shaft I29 to which a normal tendency to rotate in a counterclockwise direction is imparted by a spring I3I. Lever II5 is normally biased in a counterclockwise direction by a spring I32 extending between a spring post secured to arm I26 and a spring post mounted on frame II2. Fixed to rock shaft I29 andin operative alignment with line feed bell crank lever 18 is an arm I33.

An arm I34 is freely mounted on rock shaft I29 adjacent the latch arm I28 and is pivotally articulated to one end of a link I35, the outer end of which is pivoted to arm II8 of lever II5.

A stud I36 is secured to link I35 and overlies arm I24 and acts, when link I35 is moved downwardly, to rotate arm I24 clockwise against the tension of spring I25 moving guide I22 away from the platen 83 to facilitate the placing of record material in the printing apparatus preparatory to printing. Simultaneously, link I35 in its downward movement and due to its pivotal articulation with arm II8, rotates lever II5 so as to bring feeler II9 out of contact with the record material as it is inserted between the platen and the guide I22. This downward movement of link I35 to facilitate the insertion of a new supply of record material is controlled by a cam portion I3I integral with a pressure roller lever I38 pivoted at I39 to the platen carriage frame II 2. Lever I38 is normally spring biased by a spring (not shown) to hold pressure roller I4I against platen 83. When lever I38 is rotated to the dotted line position I42, the cam portion I31 acts upon arm I34 to depress link I35, thereby causing, through stud I38, the: levers H and I24 to rotate clockwise to move guide I22 and feeler H9 away from platen 83 simultaneously.

General operation The normal condition of the signal line is marking and hence the selector magnet II is energized and the armature I2 is held attracted. Upon receipt of the start impulse of a code combination the selector magnet is deenergized and lever I3 upon being actuated clockwise by spring I5 causes screwhead 35 to act through plunger 38 and levers 38 and 4| to release stop gate 48 to permit rotation of stop disc 52 and hence cam barrel 24, to effect, through levers 26, swords 22 and T-levers 3!, the .setting of vanes 33 in accordance with the received code signal. At a predetermined instant in the cycle of rotation of cam drum 24, cam 5| (Fig. 2) thereon acts upon arm 88 of clutch throwout lever 88 to rock the latter counterclockwise against the action of spring 94 to release arm 81 from cam portion 92 of clutch 93, thus permitting the driving and driven portions of clutch 93 to engage to initiate rotation of an operating cam assembly I88, a cam on which controls, through the printing bail, the operation of a function lever bail identified in Fig. 1 by the rod 59 for controlling the function levers, and another cam on which controls, through the function bail, a bail blade It for operating the function push bars; for example, line feed push bar 66 and the unshift push bar 8.

Upon receipt of a tabulator signal (for vertical tabulation or multiple line feed) which is an upper case signal (that is, the tabulator signal is preceded by a shift signal), the vanes 33 are set characteristically in the manner hereinbefore described, and upon operation of the function lever bail 58 the vertical tabulator function lever 55 will be selected and rotated about pivot rod 58 by spring 51 to raise arm 6! whereby, through screw 62, multi-armed lever 64 is rocked counterclockwise to bring portion 50 into latching engagement with the spring biased latch arm 68. Arm 65 of lever 64 raises line feed push bar 55 and unshift push bar 8 to bring the shoulders I5 thereof into the path of function bail blade I6 preparatory to performing a series of line feed operations as hereinafter set forth. Since the unshift push bar 8 was also raised to bring its shoulder "I5 into the path of the function bail blade IE, it will be operated once upon the first oscillation of bail IS in the tabulation cycle, to actuate the shift control lever (not shown) to return the platen to the letters or unshift posit-ion in the manner set forth in Patent 1,904,164. Arm 84 of lever 64 acts on contact spring 85 to open contact 86 and close contact 233 in the operating circuit for the start magnet SI) of the transmitting distributor (assuming switch I88 to have been previouslly closed) to suspend transmission during vertical tabulation in the manner previously described. Portion 58 of lever 64 when latched up, acts to maintain arm 81 of clutch throwout lever 88 out of engagement with cam portion 92 of main shaft clutch 93, thus permitting the toothedportions of clutch 93 to engage to cause cam assembly I08 to rotate continuously. Thus, constant rotation of main operating cam assembly I00 causes the function bail I8 to be operated repeatedly.

Push bar 65, being held in the path of function bail blade I6, will be operated repeatedly, and through levers I2, link 11, bell crank lever I8, pawl .8I and ratchet wheel 82, will cause platen 83 to be line fed repeatedly. By this means and through the cooperation of sprocket feed pins I43 and pressure roller I4I, the sprocket feed paper, as illustrated in Fig. 3, is fed through the printer.

Similarly, push bar 8, being held in the path of function bail blade IE, will also be operated once as previously described. This operation of push bar 8 after the initiation of the vertical tabulation function, besides acting to restore the printer platen 83 to the unshift or letters case position, automatically causes the lowermost of the vanes 33 (referred to in said patent as the sixth vane) to be rocked so as to prevent more than one selective operation of the vertical tabulator function lever 55. Furthermore, the 3 latching-up of the multi-armed lever 64 has permitted the universal function lever 68 to be drawn by its spring (similar to spring 51) toward the selector vanes 33; the universal function lever 68 not being provided with code projections is selected whenever the restraint of arm 63 thereon is removed. The function of universal functionlever 68 is to suppress, during the succession of line feeding operations, the printing and spacing functions in the manner set forth In said patent.

The record material employed in connection with the present invention constitutes preferably (though not necessarily) sprocket feed paper, as indicated in Fig. 3, comprising a series of blank forms I44 of the same standard length, which may have preprinted headings. To govern the feeding of the forms into proper printing position following the completion of the message recorded on the preceding form, a control hole or perforation I45 (Fig. 3) is provided in each form I44. The hole I45 is so positioned on the form I44 so as to coincide with the sensing portion II9 when the first typing line is at the printing point. As previously indicated, messages on each form I44 may contain different numbers of printed lines, and accordingly, before the first line of the next message may be printed, an additional feed must be imparted to the preceding message. This additional feed is initiated by the selection of the vertical tabulator function lever in response to the vertical tabulator code signal, as just described, and continues in response to repeated line feed operations until the control hole I45 is sensed by the feeler I I9. It is, of course, obvious that more than one control hole I45 may be provided in each form, if desired.

Line feed of the platen 83 is effected in the direction of the arrow (Fig. 1) upon each downward movement of the link "II. As bell crank lever I8 is actuated counterclockwise, pawl 8| operates ratchet wheel 82 in the usual manner to effect a line feed of one step, and the vertical arm of lever I8 strikes the depending arm I33 to impart clockwise movement to rock shaft I29, thereby lifting latch arm I28 out of latching engagement with arm I26 of plural armed lever H5. Spring I32 will then urge lever H counterclockwise to bring feeler H9 into contact with the underside of the paper I44. The movements of the elements may be so timed that the feeler H9 will touch or sense the paper I44 during the rest period between successive line feed operations. With this arrangement, dragging of the sensing element upon the record material is avoided. If no hole I45 is positioned opposite feeler H9, only a limited rotation of lever H5 will result, and arm H1 thereof will still block arm I01, thus preventing shaft I02 from rotating clockwise sufiiciently to cause, through arm IOI, the bar 98 from unlatching arm 88 from arm 81 of plural armed lever 64 to stop vertical tabulation.

When the line feed link 11 is returned to its upward position, lug I04 acts, through arm IOI, to impart counterclockwise movement to shaft I02, to impart like movement to lever I05, so that stud H3 or arm I08 thereof acts'on arm H4 to return lever H5 to it clockwise position, thereby permitting arm I28 to become again latched by latch arm I28.

If, when lever H5 is unlatched in response to a line feed operation, the feeler H9 senses a control perforation I45 and passes therethrough, lever H5 is caused to rotate counterclockwise a greater amount than otherwise to remove arm H1 out of blocking relation with arm I01, whereupon spring I09 is enabled to rotate lever I05, and. hence shaft I02 a sufficient amount to depress bar 98 an extent great enough to unlatch arm 61 of plural armed lever 84. Upon being thus unlatched, lever 84 returns to the position shown in Fig. 1, to restore contact 88 to its closed condition and contact 233 to its open condition, thus resuming transmis-. sion; to drop push bars 86 and 80 out of the path of function bail blade 18; to permit clutch throwout lever 88 to return to its clockwise position under the influence of spring 94 to cooperate with cam portion 92 to effect the disengagement of the driving and driven portions of ,clutch 93, thereby preventing further rotation of cam assembly I00, and to restore universal function lever 89 to its unblocking position. The vertical tabulating mechanism according to the present invention is thus restored to its unoperated condition in readiness for a subsequent vertical tabulating signal. In the embodiment of the invention just described, the amount of movement of arm I01 (when unblocked) to effect the unlatching of arm 88 is independent of the degree of movement of sensing arm H9, thus increasing materially the margin of operation of the vertical tabulator.

M odificaiz'ons One modified form of page sensing mechanism is shown in Fig. 6 and contemplates the sensing of the control hole in the record material farther from the printing point and does not require grooving the platen for the feeler or stabber. In this form of the invention a line feed link I5I (comparable to link 11, Fig. 1) is pivoted to one arm of a line feed bell crank lever I52, to the vertical arm of which is pivoted a pawl I53 which cooperates with a ratchet wheel I54 fixed to the platen I55. A bar I58 (comparable to bar 98, Fig. 1) controls a latch similar to latch 68 of the principal embodiment of the invention, and is pivoted to an arm I51 fixed to one end of a rock shaft I58, to the other end of which is secured a sensing lever I59 carrying at its outer extremity a feeler portion I 6|. Lever I59 is provided with an upstanding hook portion I82 whichis engageable with a latch arm I63 pivoted at I84 to the platen carriage side frame I85. Lever I59 is also provided with a projection I86 to the end of which is fastened one end of a spring I81, the other end of which is attached to the latch arm I83. Spring I61 thus acts to bias lever I59 clockwise and to urge latch I83 clockwise into latching relation with hook portion I82. Latch arm I63 is provided with a projection I88v which cooperateswith an arm I89 fixed to a rock shaft I'II. Also carried securely on shaft Ill and positioned in cooperative relation with line feed bell crank I52 is a dependin arm I12. A spring I13 attached to arm I69 tends to rotate shaft I1I normally in a counterclockwise direction. Fixed-to shaftv I58 is an arm I10 which engages lever I52.

The record material I14 of the form shown in Fig. 3 is fed between an apron or plate I15 and a guide plate I18. At a point, coincident with feeler I8I', plates I15 and I18 are perforate-d to permit the passage of said feeler therethrough when. a control perforation similar to perforation I45 (Fig. 3) is found. The record material is directed around the platen I55, and engages the sprocket pins I11 in the usual manner.

Line feed of the platen I55 is achieved in the direction of the arrow (Fig. 6) upon each downward movement of link I5I. As line feed lever I52 is operated counterclockwise, pawl I58 acts upon ratchet wheel I54 in the usual manner to effect a line feed of one step, and the vertical arm of lever I52 strikes the depending arm I12 to impart clockwise movement to rock shaft I1I, thereby, through arm I89, swinging latch arm I63 out of latching engagement with sensing lever I59. Spring I81 will then urge lever I59 clockwise to bring feeler I6I into contact with the top side of the paper I14. If no hole I45 is positioned opposite feeler I6I, only a limited rotation of lever I59 will occur and arm I51 will be prevented from rotating suificiently to cause, through bar I58, the unlatching of the plural armedlever similar to lever 84 (Fig. 1).

When the line feed link I5I is returned to its upper position, the lever I52 acts, through arm I10, to impart counterclockwise movement to shaft I58, to impart like movement to lever I59 thereby permitting lever I59 to become latched again by latch arm I83. If, when lever I59 is unlatched in response to a line feed operation, the feeler I8I senses or finds a control perforation I45 and passes therethrough, lever I 59 is caused to rotate clockwise a greater amount than previously, under the influence of spring I81, whereby shaft I58 is likewise rotated a sufiicient amount to depress bar I58 an extent great enough to unlatch arm 61 (for example) of multi-armed lever 84 (Fig. 1), the effect of which is as described in connection with the principal embodiment of the invention.

According to another modified form of the present invention, the control of vertical tabulation by the sensing mechanism is effected electrically. Referring to Fig. 7, the selector vanes I8I (comparable to vanes 33, Fig. 1) are settable in code manner in response to received code combinations of impulses, in the manner set forth in connection with the principal embodiment, whereby the vertical tabulator function lever I82,

when selected, is rocked about pivot shaft I83 by spring I84 to raise its rearwardlyextending arm I85. Resting on the end of arm I85 is a laterally disposed portion I86 of one arm of a lever I8-I, pivoted at I88, the oppositely directed arm of which is provided with a shoulder I 89 which cooperates with the lower arm of a lever I9I pivoted at I92. I

Lever I91 is also provided with a vertically extending arm 2.83 which terminates in a laterally disposed portion to cooperate with the clutch throwout lever 284, in a manner similar to that shown in Fig. 2 between portion I8 and arm 81. Lever I8! is normally biased clockwise by a spring I93 to cause portion I89 to follow arm I85. Overlying portion I85 is a line feed push bar I94 which is pivoted to the depending arm of a bell crank lever I95 mounted on a pivot shaft I96. To the horizontal arm of bell crank lever I95 is pivoted oneend of a link I91, the other end being connected tothe horizontal arm of a bell crank lever S98. A pawl I99ispivoted to the vertical arm of bell crank lever I98 and cooperates with a ratchet wheel 2! to effect line feeding of platen 282. I

Clutch throwout lever 2.84 governs theengagement of a clutch associated with acam assembly 285. carried on. main shaft 296 which, in turn, controls the rotation of function bail cam 28'! to effect the operation of a function lever bail 288.

Cooperating with the record material I44 .is a contact 289 and a sensing lever 2H disposed thereabove. Lever 2I I is fixed. toa shaft. 21.2 and is included in an obvious electrical circuit for operating an electromagnetfZIS. Electromagnet 2I3, when energized, causeslever I9I to rotate clockwise against the actionv of its. spring 2I4. Spring 2M normally acts to hold the. depending arm of lever, I9! against. the end of lever I81 in readiness to slip into the shoulder I89 when the lever I8? is actuated counterclockwise by function lever I82, a presentlyappear. Sensing lever 2I.I is held out oi sensing relation with the record material I44 by alatching lever 2I5 pivoted at 2I6, the arm 2II, of which coacts with an arm 2I8 of a bell crank lever 2I9. pivoted; at 22I, the depending arm of which cooperates with the vertical armof bell crank. L98, in a manner similar to that described in connection with the modification shown. inFig. 6.

During the normal operation of the apparatus, the clutch throwout lever 2041s operated by a cam (similar to cam 9|, Fig. 2) on the selector cam drum, as previously described. When the vertical tabulatorsignal is received, the selector vanes I8I are set accordingly to efiect the. selection of the vertical tabulator function lever I82 which, when the function lever bail 298 is operated, is permitted to rock clockwise under the influence of its spring I84 about the pivot I93 to raise the arm I85. Raisingarm I85 in this manner imparts counterclockwise rotation to lever I81 against the action of its spring I93 about pivot I88. When lever I81 is so actuated, the line feed push bar I94 is raised to bring its shoulder 222 into the path of the function lever bail blade. p

Also, lever I9I is permitted to engage shoulder I89 due to the action of spring 2I4 upon lever I9I, since electromagnet 2:8 is at this time deenergized. Lever arm 283 acts to release clutch throwout lever 284 to permit the main shaft clutch to become engaged and to rotate continuously. This continuous rotation of the cam assembly 285 causes the function lever cam 20! to actuate or rock the function bail 208 repeatedly, therebyimparting to the line feed push bar I94 repeated reciprocations. This action of line feed push bar I94 is'imparted through hell crank lever I95 tothe line feed. link I91, and in turn to bell crank I98 and pawl I99, which, through ratchet wheel 21"., imparts step-by-step'rotation to platen 292, and accordingly moves the record material I44-past the contact 289 and sensing lever 2I l in a step-by-step manner.

Each time the. bell crank lever I98 is rocked counterclockwise for each line feed operation, it acts upon the depending arm of the lever 2I8 to cause, through arm 2H, the latch M5 to become disengaged from the tape sensing lever 2| I. The tape sensing lever 2| I, each time it is disengaged or unlatched, will fall, due to-the pull of its spring 2"), upon the record material I44 seeking the control hole I45. The Sensing function of lever 2II is performed momentarily between line feed operations, as is the case in the embodiment of the invention shown in Fig. 6. The lever 2 is fixed to shaft 2I2, to which is also fixed a lever (not shown) similar to lever I19 (Fig. 6) which overlies the'horizontal arm of bell crank lever I98 so that, when the line feed bell crank lever I98 is returned toits clockwise position, counterclockwise movement will be imparted to lever 2| I, against the action of spring 2H), whereupon lever 2I I again becomes latched up. by lever 2I5. preparatory to a succeeding line feed operation. When, in response to successive line: feed operations, the sensing lever 2-II finds a control hole I45, it falls therethrough and connects with the contact 289, thus completing an energizing circui't for the electromagnet2-I3. When the electromagnet H8 is energized, the lever I! is rotated thereby ina clockwise direction against the action of its spring 2 I4 to disengage the lower end thereof from the shoulder I89 of lever I81. Lever I'B I then, due to the pull of spring I93, rotatesclookwise to=bring the line feed push bar I94 out of operative relation with the function bail 2'08.- Arm. 203 is also moved away from the clutch throwoutlever 2'84, thereby permitting the clutch lever 294 to effectuate the disengagement of the clutch 295- in the manner shown in Fig. '2. The tape sensing lever 2II- is returned to its latched position in the manner shown in the embodiment illustrated in Fig. 6 to effect the latching of said lever by the latch 2 I5. Thearrangement shown inFigQ 7 is now in a normal position preparatory to the reception of a subsequent vertical tabulator signal. It is understood thatthe invention is not limited to the forms herein described, but embraces all forms and modifications which come within the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a printing telegraph apparatus, mechanism effective normally to advance a record strip 'step-by-step, signal controlled means, means releasable by said signal controlled means for operating said advancing mechanism, an instrumentality selectable by said signal controlled means, means operated by said instrumentality for controlling the consecutive operation of said advancing mechanism, and means controlled solely by a single designation in the record strip for interrupting said consecutive operation of said advancing mechanism at a point determined by the location of said designation in the record strip.

2; In a printing telegraph apparatus, mechanism effective normally to advance a record strip step-by-step, signal controlled means, means releasable by said signal controlled means for operating said advancing mechanism, an instrumentality selectable by said signal controlled means, means operated by said instrumentality for controlling the consecutive operation of said advancing mechanism, and all-mechanical means controlled solely by a single designation in the record strip for interrupting said consecutive operation of said advancing mechanism at a point determined by the location of said designation in the record strip.

3. In a printing telegraph apparatus, mechanism effective normally to advance a record strip step-by-step, signal controlled means, means releasable by said signal controlled means for operating said advancing mechanism, an instrumentality selectable by said signal controlled means, means operated by said instrumentality for controlling the consecutive operation of said advancing mechanism, and electrical contact means controlled solely by a single designation in the record strip for interrupting said consecutive operation of said advancing mechanism at a point determined by the location of said designation in the record strip.

4. In a printing telegraph apparatus, mechanism effective normally to advance a record strip step by step, signal controlled means, an instrumentality selectable by said signal controlled means, a clutch operable to supply power to the record advancing mechanism, a clutch throwout lever normally holding said clutch disengaged, a trip lever included in the signal controlled means for rendering the clutch throwout lever ineffective to hold the clutch disengaged, means controlled by the said instrumentality for also rendering the clutch throwout lever inefiective to hold the clutch disengaged, and means controlled solely by a single designation in the record strip to render the means controlled by the instrumentality ineffective for enabling the trip lever to control the clutch throwout lever.

5. In a printing telegraph apparatus, mecha nism for advancing a record strip step by step, means for supplying power to said advancing mechanism, signal responsive means, an instrumentality selectable by said signal responsive means, means normally holding said power supplying means ineffective, tripping means for rendering said holding means ineffective, means under control of the instrumentality for rendering said holding means ineffective, and means controlled solely by a single designation in the record strip for rendering said holding means effective.

6. In a printing telegraph apparatus, mechanism for advancing a record strip step by step,.

means for supplying power to said advancing means, signal responsive means, an instrumentality selectable by said signal responsive means, means operable to render said power supplying means effective, means controlled by the signal responsive means for rendering said last mentioned means operable, means controlled by said instrumentality for holding operated the means for rendering the power supplying means efiective, and means controlled solely by a single designation in the record strip for rendering the holding means inoperative.

RAYMOND E. ZENNER. 

